Where our paths cross : exploring the sexual health and reproductive health learning needs of refugee women and health practitioners in Malta

Abstract

Kopin and Integra Foundation have both been engaged in refugee issues in Malta for a number of years. During the course of their work in the field both NGOs became increasingly aware of the problems experienced by refugee women and health care practitioners working in the area of pre and post natal care. In light of such challenges, Kopin, in collaboration with Integra Foundation, launched the Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Project. The design was built on experience gained through the researchers’ direct involvement in the field as well as on a number of initiatives that had been implemented in Malta, including inter alia Kopin’s European Refugee Fund (ERF) financed project, Empowerment and Self-Reliance of Women Refugees in Malta (2011-2013); the 2013 seminar, Exploring Cultural Competency of public staff working in the area of Midwifery and Obstetrics; and the Integra Foundation and UNHCR research project, My Diversity: Age, Gender and Diversity Perspectives in the Maltese Refugee Context (2014-2015).